Carnival Of The Dead
by RosetheWolfgirl
Summary: Sequel to "Forest of Blood and Snow". The eerie sound of the carnival music can be heard from a distance at nightfall. The flashing lights and the false sense of excitement will lure unsuspecting people into its gate. They should have turned around when they had a chance but it is too late. The Carnival run by the dead WILL claim it's next victim and they will arrive soon.
1. The Unlucky Few

**Author's Note: **This is the sequel to my most successful stories for Ghost Hunt:( which is like four stories now) "The Forest of Blood and Snow". Before reading this story if you haven't read "The Forest of Blood and Snow" **please** do so before reading this story. As always, I own nothing from Ghost Hunt. Please review and like my stories because the more followers, favs and reviews I have, The more excited I will be at continuing and the faster (but not rushed) I will post the next chapter! So enjoy!

* * *

**Carnival of the Dead**

**Chapter 1**

**July 24th**

**Five days ago**

* * *

"Are we there yet?" A young girl whined from the back seat of her parent's car, wiggling around in her seat belt. An annoyed groan from her mother was heard and without looking back she replied dryly.

"I don't know, Kimi. Maybe if your father stopped for direction earlier we might have been there a lot sooner"! The mother huffed in her seat as her husband sighed.

"Look I know we are heading the right way, dear." He sighed, keeping his eyes focused on the midnight road. The only lights that kept the road lite were the mile long line of street lamps. Kimi stared from the backseat out at her window as the street light zoomed past her causing shadows to dance from within the car. It was making her drowsy. She yawned. Suddenly the car was filled with a bright light. Music was heard off in the distance. Kimi squinted her eyes and gasped. Her parents became alerted from the sudden flash of lights, they wriggled around in their seat but the father did not waver from the road. Kimi smiled as she saw what looked like a huge Ferris wheel surrounded by much smaller glittering lights off in the distance.

"Mommy, Daddy! Can we go there?! Just for a second! Please!"

Kimi bounced around in the back beaming with sudden excitement and awe in the sudden appearance of the Amusement Park up ahead. Her mother leaned and whispered to her husband.

"Was that there before?" She asked in much confusion glancing back at the park as it drew closer. "Do you think it is a good idea to ask for direction here?" She asked her husband.

He grunted and sighed again. "Yeah, I think so. I need a rest from driving anyways".

She smiled and leaned close to him and pecked his check happily. "How about I drive after we get directions?" She smirked. Her husband smiled and turned into the road leading to the amusement park.

Kimi bounced up and down in her seat the closer they got to the park. The music got louder and the lights became brighter. The husband pulled up to what looked like a good place to park and they all scrambled out of their tight red car. The husband led the two females to the entrance. Bright flashing letters welcomed them above the entrance.

"Welcome To Dawn Of The Night Amusement Park"

"That's a weird name for a park, huh?" The mother asked poking her husband in the rib. He grunted and smiled. "Yes, it is."

They heard the rides going off, the tiny stall games being played, the laughter of children and of other people, however, as soon as they stepped foot through the entrance the noises ceased to existed. There was no one around. Not a single soul to be present. The lights still flashed from all around but the rides seemed to not have moved from their current position. Everything was still. No one welcomed them at the gate. The daughter huge smiled faded away as she glanced around.

"Where are awll the peepole?" she asked so confused.

Her father would have laughed at the pronunciation of the word "people" his daughter used but he didn't even crack a smile.

They wandered deeper into the park in search on someone. Kimi walked by and jumped in the air as one of the rides came to life near her. She gasped in shock and then sighed in relief as she saw cute animals going up and down in a circle. It was a carousel that had startled the young girl. She didn't seem to notice or care the ride was going in reverse. She also didn't notice or cared for the music that accompanied the ride. She didn't notice how eerie it was. How….wrong it sounded. The music itself sounded like it was playing backwards. The young girl hopped on a tiny bear and clung to the pole in happiness. She giggled as it spun her and lifted her up and down in the wrong direction.

Her parents soon realized that their beloved daughter was not with them and they screamed and yelled out her name.

"KIMI!"

"KIMI!"

"ANSWER ME KIMI!"

"KIMI!"

Her parents shouted and ran franticly throughout the park. Music and colors of lights flashed them by as the searched for their daughter. They both jolted to a stop when the heard a ride and giggling. They saw a tiny figure in the distance riding on a carousel; they both sprinted towards the carousel and screamed.

"**KIMI!**"

The both froze as the finally reached their daughter. Horror filled their eyes and the mother shook violently. She gasped into a wail and fell to her knees in shock and in pain. The father stood in shock unable to move or to breathe. Kimi was riding on the bear. As the moved closer to her parents half of her skull was showing. No blood came pouring out of the open wound but some dripped from her mouth onto her bright blue skirt. She giggled, unaware of her surrounding and herself. She smiled giggling to herself as she passed her parents on the ride and she waved at them. Her bony teeth flashing at them, blood pouring from her mouth. Her father slumped to the ground in shock and confusion. He jolted up and scooped up his daughter from the cold plastic bear, his body shook and he brought his daughter close to him. They must have imagined seeing her head cracked open because she look perfectly fine as he held her in his arms. The mother was up now too, looking in shocking at their daughter. She wailed in happiness as Kimi was unharmed. Neither parents looked back as they fled in terror from that carnival. They hopped in their car and with a loud squeal of the tires; the red car sped off down the road. It became a small red dot in the distance. The carnival suddenly stopped. The Ferris Wheel froze in place. The flashing lights eventually flickered off, almost consuming it in the blackness of the night. The only sound that was made was the eerie sound of ghostly laughter and giggles and the sound of the music playing backwards. The very last ride to turn off was the carousel. Its dazzling lights flickered on and off. The music became softer and softer as it played its eerie track in the wrong direction. It spun around one last time before halting to a stop.

_"Why won't anyone ride with me?"_

The soft ghostly question lingered in the air for a bit as the last of the carnival died and become one with the darkness.

* * *

**July 29th**

**Day 1**

Mai headed popped up drowsily from her desk at the SPR office. She felt a yawn kick in as she quickly covered her mouth with both of her hands to reduce the sound of the loud yawn. If Naru even heard stifled yawn from the outside of the Naru/bat-cave, Mai would surely never hear the end of it. Sure, he was "nice" Naru during her week vacation that he gave her after the hell they went through during their last case, but now he was back to normal. Mai shuddered at the very first day back to work. Naru did not forget the promise of lecturing his poor assistant to death. He gave her quite an earful. Then he surprised her at the very end. He gave her three beautiful pieces of jewelry. Two solid steel charmed bracelets and a solid steel charmed necklace, claiming that they are able to ward of middle to low level spirits and that they were to never be taken off. The thought of the gift and of Naru possibly worrying about someone other than himself made Mai really happy. But of course the damned stupid narcissist off a boss had to ruin a perfect moment by adding "I don't want to have to get another assistant because the previous one was too stupid for her own good". Her blood boiled, facing turning red and she huffed and stormed out of his office. So much for being "Nice Naru". Still she knew that his intentions were for the best even though he could have been less of an ass about it. Recalling the memory of days before made her smile.

Just as she was about to make herself look busy, her boss and his other assistant ,Lin Koujo, decided to make an appearance before the petite assistant.

"Mai, I don't pay you to done wasting my time by not doing your job, help Lin load up the van." "Hopefully you haven't forgotten that we have a new case, oh wait: that's right you were not there to listen to the client because you were late…again". He glared at her and walked out of the SPR office.

She stuck her tongue out at the closing door of the SPR office.

She growled at the door and glanced up at Lin. She could have sworn that he was smirking but it vanished without a trace of its existence.

Yes, there was a brand new case and Mai was left in the dark about it. She had been running almost thirty minutes late because she missed her train and when she finally got there it turns out a client just left the office. Naru had accepted the new case and the last thing he did before demanding tea was giving a death glare at Mai. If she would have been a second sooner, she would have heard Lin telling Naru not to worry about Mai's tardiness.

Lin and Mai picked up the equipment and she opened the door and was welcomed with a huge hug.

"Mai!" Monk smothered her with a hug and then grunted when a bulky purse popped him in the head. He rubbed his head and glared at the red headed priestess that pushed her way through the annoyed monk and gave Mai a small hug.

"How are you doing ,Mai. I don't believe the Monk and his smother hugs will help you heal any faster"

Monk ignored his throbbing head and Ayako scooped up the box from Mai's hands.

"Naru shouldn't push you too much, you still may need to heal and relax". Monk said walking out of the SPR office carrying the heavy box to the van mumbling something about someone being old hag.

"We got this Mai" John Brown smiled and picked up a monitor.

Ayako, for once, did not complain about breaking a nail as she lifted up a box carefully and walked out. Mai looked them and sighed. She wasn't helpless and her injuries have healed up fine. Sure her neck would hurt barely from time to time but it wasn't serious. She picked up a mic and headed down to the van. The only thing she knew about their new case was that it was going to be at an abandoned carnival. She had never been to a carnival before and smiled happily. She hummed happily to the van, unaware of the trouble that lurked at their new case.

When everything was loaded, the team of ghost hunters drove off in two separate black vans. One van with Lin driving accompanied a certain Narcissist his tiny annoyed assistant. The other van with Monk driving accompanied an angry "old hag" who was often hitting the driver upside the head as she stirred in the front seat. An annoyed medium and a timid priest sat in the back trying to calm the driver down as he grunted with annoyance. The teams of ghost hunters were off to their new case. Soon Mai drifted off to sleep with her head tilting and then landing on her boss's shoulder. Naru grunted and sighed. He decided not to move and let his assistant sleep.

"It's just to let her gather information about the current case". He reassured himself and to Lin.

Lin glanced at the two next to him. Before he could stop himself he said to his boss.

"Are you sure that is the _only_ reason why you are letting her sleep on you?" Lin grunted with a ghost of a smirk.

"…"

"….."

"Shut up, Lin."


	2. The Carnival

Ch 2 Welcome to the Dawn of the Night Carnival

Next day

July 30th Day 2

_Colorful lights danced and flashed before Mai's eyes. Figures before her moved past her, laughing and running about. As the vision got clearer Mai was able to see the people before her. People of all ages, shapes and sizes moved past her and ran through her. Clowns on stilts towered above her and to her left someone blew fire from their mouth. Mai grinned at the sights and sounds. A rollercoaster roared nearby and the sounds of their screams filled the air. This was actually her first time at a carnival even though she wasn't physically there; all the sounds and people were real once. Their laughter, joyful screams, and smiles were all once real. Mai smiled as she walked by many colorful booths and events. A small boy carried a huge teddy bear bigger then he was as he staggered past Mai with a huge grin plastered on his face. A father carried his daughter on his shoulders laughing and talking as they passed by. Mai felt a twinge of sadness. She missed her parents. _

_She heard the scream of a child enjoying a ride. She looked up and froze. The child was not screaming of joy, he was screaming from pain. A young boy sat on a merry go round (carousel) screaming in absolute horror. Then people wondering about froze and watched him. Some ran to his aid but vanished into thin air. His screams seemed to cause a ripple in the air. As the blue ripple past each ghostly figures they waivered and disappeared in a light blue mist. The small child clutched is head screamed in the most horrible scream that can come from a small child. Mai covered her ears as it got louder, she wanted to run to the boy and help him but she felt as if her feet where nailed to the ground. She felt his pain and his tremendous sadness as the blue ripples passed over her. Tears escaped from her eyes as she doubled over in pain. She crawled her way towards the carousel, wincing in pain at each step. She pulled herself up on the slow turning carousel and made her way to the screaming child. The young boy was screaming with his hands covering his face. The closer she got to him the sadder she felt. Tears began to swell from her eyes running down her face like the young boy's tears. When she made it to him she heard that he was not crying back whispering._

_"__They left me… they left me!" _

_"__Nobody watched me…"._

_"__Nobody will ride with me"._

_Mai reached out and put her hand on the young boy shoulder to reassure him but before she could he turned around and she screamed in terror and backed away from the boy. The left side of his face was bashed in. The skin was torn off a bit, revealing some sections of his skull. The tears that ran down his face were red. He was crying blood. He smiled at Mai who took another step back and her foot slipped. She managed to grab hold of one of the poles on the carousel._

_"__Will you ride with me"?_

_He is just so lonely, Mai thought to herself. He just needs someone to be with. As he reached for her hand to pull her up, she actually reached out towards him despite what had occurred before. A hand from behind her grabbed her hand and pulled it away, pulling her back on the ground and into a hug._

_"__You know by now that you shouldn't touch the spirits, don't you, Mai"? Gene smiled at her._

_She whirled around and hugged Gene._

_"__Gene"!_

_Gene's smiled faded into a frown. He patted her head and sighed._

_"__I'm sorry, Mai, about not being there for you in the previous case. I wasn't able to get through to you during that time but I…was still able to see what had happened and I am sorry."_

_Mai sniffled at the memory and hugged Gene, crying in his friendly embrace. He patted her head again in comfort. _

_"__I forgive you, Gene." "It was not your fault". Mai said wiping her tears and some snot on her sleeve._

_"__Ah, I am glad that you forgive me, but a certain idiot scientist will not forgive me if I keep you here to long"._

_He held her and smirked. He looked a lot like Naru. A voice from afar began to speak._

_"__ai…"_

_"__Mai…"_

_"__Go on, Mai, that idiot is calling you…and...I will be here for you". Mai nodded at Gene and grinned. He copied her grin._

**"****MAI…"!**

She awoke in the process of being shaken around like a doll. Tears still rolled down off her face as she turned to look at the person who was shaking her. For a second, it looked like Naru had a hint of concern in his blue eyes but they disappeared and were replaced with his normal stoic demeanor.

"Hey, Naru…" Mai murmured, sleep still glazed on her.

"We are here, Mai" Naru glanced at his assistant one last time and walked off. Mai undid her seatbelt and got out of the parked black van. There, before her, was the carnival. The large ferris wheel stood out, empty and old. It looked different from her dream. The place looked dull and lifeless. At the gated entrance of the carnival stood a tall man with a black hat and an old suit. The man himself looked like he was with the carnival. He nodded at Naru and the rest of the ghost hunters. He said nothing as he turned and unlocked that gate with old rusty key. The gate swung open with a loud screech. Naru took a step forward to introduce himself and the team to the man as this was not the same person who begged for him to take this case. The older gentleman raised his hand and stopped Naru from speaking and waved them through the gate.

""How rude…" Ayako whispered to a bored Monk. Mai was the last one to enter and she looked up and the welcome sign above them.

"Welcome to the Dawn of the Night Carnival…" Mai mumurmed to herself. She turned around to ask the man a question.

"Hey, why…." Mai stood there looking at the empty space and a locked gate.

"NARU…!" Mai shouted.

Naru and Monk whipped around as Ayako played with her nails and gave a slight glance along with John and Masako.

"Hey….what's is going on here"! "He locked us in"! Ayako marched to the gate and shook it. It didn't budge. Masako walked closer to the gate.

"I didn't think it was true…." Masako murmured.

"What was true...?" Mai asked getting ready to attempt to climb the gate but Naru had a hold on her sweater as if reading her mind. Mai stuck her tongue at him and glanced at Masako.

"The old man….was a ghost…." Masako said covering her mouth with her blue kimono sleeve.

"WHAT!?" Mai and Monk said in unison.

Naru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The activity started as soon as they got there. Suddenly, the carnival music started up and the rides began to move on their own. Lights began to flash and rattle to life. The carnival would have been described as beautiful if it didn't start by itself. The music sounded a bit distorted and eerie. The gang gasped all expect for Naru and Lin who raised their eyebrows. John looked up at everyone else.

"Oi, that was fast. Is it usually that quick?" he asked clutching his bible closer to him.

"No". Naru said walking past him.

"Let's get to work and set up base, the fun seems to have started without us".


End file.
